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the_original_Retro t1_iydfkt6 wrote

The general classification is "fantasy". Key word 'magical' normally moves this in to that genre.

This is really more specific - the broader category of fantasy also includes fully realized other-places such as Lord of the Rings, stories about deities, or the existence of metahumans or superhero powers in a select hidden few of our own world - so it's a "subgenre" with a focus on 'alternate-reality fantasy'.

That's more of a descriptive phrase than a label.

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unlovelyladybartleby t1_iydh1ol wrote

Read Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, it's a great example of a fantasy novel with a heroic quest narrative arc.

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Parentinginapandemic OP t1_iydhmk6 wrote

Ha! That’s funny! Yes! I suppose! I love imagining that me( a boring average joe) could wake up one day and discover there’s a whole magical world out there that’s much more fun than our own. And I really like reading about a person who not only discovers that world but then rises to the top as a hero.

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AnneElliotWentworth t1_iydhwuy wrote

Have you read/watched The Magicians? I watched the series when it came out on the SyFy network, but I think it’s on Netflix now, and I highly recommend it. It can be dark, which I normally don’t like, but the series does it well.

I have not read the books and from reviews I’ve read, there are some differences between the books and the series (some people were particularly upset about a name change for one of the characters and how an actor/actress doesn’t look similar to how the character was described in the books).

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the_original_Retro t1_iydhwys wrote

If you're okay with youth fiction from mid-last century, C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia is a very famous arc of many books and a few movie adaptations. "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe", first written but not chronological, was a delightful read when I was a kid, but the later ones in the series were super overbearing in their biblical parallels and I didn't like them.

Probably the most amazing trilogy I've read in my life was by a fellow Canadian - Guy Gavriel Kay's "The Fionavar Tapestry". It starts with The Summer Tree. It's big and grand and utterly amazing, and I can't recommend it enough.

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spemque t1_iydmk0b wrote

I love The Magicians (esp the books), but word of warning, it’s a harsh critique of people who love fantasy novels. I think that’s what makes them sooo good. It still has the elements you’re looking for, but I can see why it might rub some people the wrong way.

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solarmelange t1_iydny9x wrote

Intrusion fantasy and portal fantasy.

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scarletseasmoke t1_iydw35c wrote

Do you mean Isekai, but novels from the West? I'm pretty sure 3 of those books were on Goodreads Isekai lists, but if you try to look for Isekai it's not what your first hits will be...

It's portal-quest fantasy (hero goes into a fantasy world) or intrusive fantasy (the fantasy world intrudes on the hero's world), but I don't think I've ever seen those just commonly thrown around outside of academic or fantasy nerd circles.

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CrazyCatLady108 t1_iye6r1k wrote

Hi there. Your post would be better asked in our Simple Questions thread. It helps us keep the main subreddit focused around broader discussion rather topics which only apply to an individual. Thank you!

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